A&M QB job still up for grabs

Updated 11:52 pm, Tuesday, August 14, 2012

While Jameill Showers emerged from spring drills as the top contender to start at quarterback this season, Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin says the QB battle still is open.

While Jameill Showers emerged from spring drills as the top contender to start at quarterback this season, Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin says the QB battle still is open.

Photo: Stuart Villanueva

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Johnny Manziel (2), who is battling Jameill Showers and Matt Joeckel for the Aggies' starting QB job, earned high marks from coaches in last weekend's scrimmage.

Johnny Manziel (2), who is battling Jameill Showers and Matt Joeckel for the Aggies' starting QB job, earned high marks from coaches in last weekend's scrimmage.

Photo: Stuart Villanueva

A&M QB job still up for grabs

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COLLEGE STATION - Quarterback controversy. Quarterback competition. Quarterback luxury. However one labels the traditional camp question across the land, it's at full throttle at Texas A&M with kickoff a little more than two weeks away.

In a twist on the old custom, however, it involves three players. Asked to evaluate the play of Jameill Showers and Johnny Manziel after last weekend's scrimmage at Kyle Field, first-year coach Kevin Sumlin tossed in another name.

Showers emerged from spring drills leading the pack, but Sumlin and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury still declared the competition open. The scrimmage showed why. Manziel outplayed Showers, while Joeckel threw three touchdown passes (same as Manziel) in his limited time.

"That's why it's still open," Sumlin said. "I need to go back and look at where they are in their reads and their progressions, what they're doing, and how they're getting the ball out. We'll see."

Based on the recent turn of events, Manziel likely now holds an edge based on his ability a little more than a week into camp to make quick reads and get rid of the ball faster than the other two. Sumlin said before camp he would name a starter no later than two weeks before kickoff, but now he says that decision might stretch into this weekend.

The Aggies, in their first year in the Southeastern Conference, start their season on Aug. 30 against Louisiana Tech in Shreveport - a Thursday night and two days before most teams crank up. No matter the quarterback, if the scrimmage is an indication of the season to come, he'll be handing the ball plenty to freshman Trey Williams, who was dynamic in his college "debut" during the scrimmage, especially on a 77-yard scamper up the middle on which he juked multiple players and added a stiff-arm to finish off the highlight-reel touchdown sprint.

"He's been doing that all camp - making people miss," Sumlin said of Williams, who scored three touchdowns in the scrimmage. "And he's got wire-to-wire speed to go with that."

Williams (5-8, 175) rushed for 3,890 yards last season in leading Dekaney to the Class 5A Division II title and for more than 8,000 yards in a spectacular high school career.

"He's got to learn the offense - he's moving around a lot and got a penalty (in the scrimmage) because of that, but all of those little things we can work with," Sumlin said. "He wants to be great, and he'll work at it."

Defense lags behind

Senior Christine Michael also earned a handful of carries in his first contact since suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee last November. The offense had its way with the defense for much of the scrimmage, and the defense also was missing starting tackles Kirby Ennis and Jonathan Mathis because of injury.

They're both expected back in time for the season. On the bright side defensively, defensive end Damontre Moore tallied three "sacks" (simply touches in protecting the quarterbacks). Sumlin said there's an explanation on why the offense outshined the defense in the scrimmage - and it's mostly based on his inheritance.

"We have one of the better offensive lines in the country and three or four five-star running backs," he said. "We don't have that on defense right now."